Fluid dispenser



Jan. 8, 1963 .1. w. ANDERSON I \I.\ .1 )k I I I I I I II I I I I I I IIII II IIII II II IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 1 urIIIIII I I IIIII II III I III I I I I II I! I I I IIIIIIIIIIIIII I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|I!III!I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIII o m &2

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII III III INVENTOR.

JOHN W. ANDERSON m MIL ATTORNEY Jan. 8, 1963 J. w. ANDERSON 3,072,298

ATTORNEY 3,0723%8 FLUID DISPENSER John W. Anderson, 578 Broadway, Gary, Ind. Filed Mar. 17, 196i), Ser. No. 15,711 Claims. (Cl. 222-184) This invention relates to dispensers for fluid material, and more particularly relates to a dispenser apparatus combined with a portable receptacle.

it is the principal object of this invention to provide a dispenser having improved means for effecting the dispensing operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide a combined container and dispenser, the dispensing operation being eflected when the container is pressed down upon its supporting base.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a dispensing structure of the kind aforementioned which can be applied to a conventional type of container with minimum modification of such container.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a dispenser that is simple, efiicient, inexpensive, easily manufactured and susceptible of long, hard usage.

Another object of this invention relates to an improved dispenser structure wherein relatively little of the material being dispensed is exposed to the atmosphere, thus minimizing caking and blocking efficient operation of the device.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved dispenser wherein the actuating parts oi. the dispenser structure are not submerged in the fluid being dispensed, thus reducing the possibility of contaminating the fluid.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a container with a dispenser so associated therewith that the device can be, shipped as a unit without the likelihood of accidental discharge of the contents of the container during shipment.

Another object of this invention is to provide a container and dispenser combination that can be readily grasped in one hand whereupon downward pressure on the container will emit a predetermined quantity of liquid therefrom.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dis penser that can be manufactured and assembled by relatively unskilled persons, thereby materially reducing costs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when con-v sidered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged vertical section taken along the line 1-1 of FIGURE 2 showing a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the dispenser ofi FIG- URE 1; i

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of FIGURE 1 showing the position of the pump means of the dispenser when the container is returning from the depressed condition to the condition of FIGURE 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein one preferred form of my invention is shown and wherein similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, designates a container comprised of a cylindrical casing 11 having bottom and top end walls 12, 13, respectively. The edges of the end walls are shown sealed to the casing 11 by rolled connections 14 with the flanged ends of the casing. An upwardly extending threaded neck 15 is formed integrally with the center area of top wall 13 to provide an opening for the container. The container structure just described is conventional and is to be modified in accordance with the present invention, as will hereinafter appear.

A conduit in the form of a tube 16 is arranged to stand vertically in an opening 17 provided in bottom wall 12 of the container. 'For this purpose the lower end of the tube extends through said opening and said end is expanded at 18 against the upper and nether surfaces of wall 12. The length of tube 16 preferably is such that its upper end portion 19 terminates within neck 15. Upper end portion 19 is cylindrical and of a diameter somewhat greater than that of the adjoining body portion of tube 16, thereby providing at the juncture of the upper end portion to the body portion a circumferential internal shoulder defining valve seat 20. A ball valve 21 normally rests upon seat 20, and a helical spring 22 is disposed in enlarged portion 19 and compressed by means next to be described for urging the ball toward its seat.

According to my invention, the conventional cap for neck 15 is replaced by the special nozzle cap 23, best shown in FIGURE 1. Cap 23 includes an internally threaded rim portion 24 adapted to be screwed onto neck 15'. Integrally with the cap and concentrically disposed within said rim is a sleeve 25, which sleeve is of a diameter to telescopically fit onto the upper end portion'19 of the tube as the cap is screwed onto neck 15-. A sealing washer 26 is disposed within the cap to be clamped against the outer end of, neck 15. Cap 23 further includes a nozzle 27 which extends radially of the axis of container 1d and terminates near the edge of the container for delivering a charge of the material being dispensed to a brush or to ones hand. A passageway 28 is formed in the cap and establishes communication between nozzle 27 and the interior of sleeve 25. Passageway 28 is of smaller bore than the internal diameter of sleeve 25 and, therefore, a shoulder 29 is formed around the inner end of the passageway in the sleeve 25. Shoulder 29 is engaged by the upper end of the helical spring 22 to compress the latter when the nozzle cap is in place, thus urging the ball 21 against its seat. By positioning valve 21 in close proximity to nozzle 27 only a negligible amount of material can remain above valve 21 and subject to possible deterioration between successive usage of the apparatus. Therefore, blockage of the passageway by caking of the material is virtually eliminated.

A pump structure 30 forming an Opening or chamber is arranged at the bottom of container 19 for urging a quantum of the contents of the container upward through tube 16 for discharging the same through nozzle 27 each time the container is pressed downward. This pump structure includes a resilient circular metal diaphragm 31 disposed below and spaced from bottom wall 12 of the container, said diaphragm having an upturned peripheral flange 32. The edge of flange 32 is welded or fastened at 33 near the periphery of the container to form a seal therewith. An expansible chamber 34 is thus provided between diaphragm 31 and bottom wall 12 of the container. Diaphragm 31 is formed with a central depressed portion defining a pad 35, and is further formed with a series of corrugations 36 concentric to said pad for the purpose of increasing the deflection characteristic and resilience ofi the diaphragm. It should be understood, however, that diaphragm 31 is of such rigidity that it will not be deflected upwardly suificient to effect a dispensing operation merely when supporting the container and its con-tents. To complete the pump structure, an opening 37 is formed in bottom wall 12 of the container with a one-way flapper-type closure device 38 fastened, as by rivet 39, to the nether side of said wall and beneath the opening to admit one-way flow only from the container into said chamber 34.

A combined base and pump actuator, in the form of a cup 40, receives the lower end of container 10 with the pad 35 of the diaphragm resting on the flat end of a projection 41 rising centrally from the bottom. of cup 40 and thus supporting container and its contents, with chamber 34 normally fully expanded. Save for projection 41, the bottom of cup 4% is flat to provide a broad surface for maintaining the container upright. The rim or side wall 42 of the cup surrounds and is slidable along the container for guiding the container in its vertical movement. The rim of the cup is flanged inwardly at 43 to engage the lower rolled edge 44 of the container and thus limit upward movement of the container relative to base 40. In this way the initial position of the diaphragm is established for each pumping stroke. Consequently, each time the container is depressed upon base 40 a uniform, predetermined volume of 'the contents of the container will be ejected from nozzle 27. The flange 43 of rim 42 also prevents accidental separation of the base from the lower end of the container.

The fit of the threads of cap 23 to neck will normally be such that suflicient venting of the interior of the container will exist to permit ready flow from the container into chamber 34. However, since in use the container will be maintained in upright position until the contents thereof are exhausted, it is feasible to allow further venting by loosening slightly the connection of cap 23 to neck 15.

In operation, with a quantity of fluid in container 10 and the container base 4i resting upon a suitable support, such as the ledge of a lavatory, it is possible to dispense a uniform quantity of the contents of the container by simply pressing the container toward base 40. This may be done by pressing down on Cap 23 or upon the upper wall 13 of the container. On the other hand, one may grasp the container and push it downward. In initiating usage, the first downward thrust will eject any air entrapped in chamber 34. Upon releasing the container, the resilience of diaphragm 31 will return the container to the position of FIGURE 1, and in so returning the container a quantity of fluid will be drawn from container 10 into chamber 34 through the one-way flapper valved opening 37 of wall 12. Upon pushing down on the container a second time, the fluid entrapped in chamber 34 will be forced up tube 16, around valve 21, through passageway 28, and out through nozzle 27. Thereafter, each time the can is released, the resilience of the diaphragm will return the container to the position of FIGURE 1, thereby drawing another charge of fluid into chamber 34 so that the next time the container is depressed against base 40 alike quantity of fluid will be dispensed from the nozzle 27.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit or my invention; hence, the disclosed embodiment of my invention is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims.

I claim:

' 1;. A dispensing device comprising a container having a rolled edge about its lower portion, an expansible chamber arranged exteriorly of the bottom of said container, a discharge conduit leading firorn said chamber, valve means for controlling flow from said container to said chamber and from said chamber through said conduit, said chamber including movable wall means biased downwardly toward the expanded state of said chamber and adapted to be pushed upwardly for reducing the volume of said chamber, a base including an upstanding projection on which said wall rests, said base having about its periphery guide means slidably receiving the lower portion of said container, the outer end of. said guide means being flanged inwardly to engage said rolled edge of the container for limiting down:

ward movement of said wall for establishing initial volume of said chamber, whereby upon pressing of said container toward said base a predetermined quantity of material is expressed from said chamber through said conduit.

2. A dispensing device comprising a cylindrical container for material to be dispensed, a cap including a nozzle carried by one wall of said container, a resilient metal diaphragm formed with a series of concentric corrugations to enhance resiliency, said diaphragm being disposed below and spaced from another Wall of said container and having its edge sealed to the peripheral portion of said container to provide an expansible chamber therebetwcen, means permitting one-way how of material from said container into said chamber, conduit means connecting said chamber and said cap, valve means in the cap end of said conduit means permitting material to flow only from said chamber to said nozzle, a base in the form of a cup having an upstanding projection in its bottom for engaging a portion of said diaphragm, the side wall of said base telescopically receiving and guiding said container for vertical movement and being inseparable therefrom whereby a downward thrust applied to said container expresses a portion of said material from said nozzle.

3. A dispensing device comprising a container for material to be dispensed, said container having an opening, a closure for said opening, a nozzle carried by said closure, an expansible chamber arranged exteriorly of said container, conduit means connecting said chamber and said nozzle, first valve means within the chamber for controlling flow from said container to said chamber and second valve means within the conduit means near the nozzle end thereof for controlling the flow of material from said chamber through said conduit, and means operable for changing the internal volume of said chamber for expressing material therefrom through said conduit means and nozzle, said means being slidably mounted on the lower part of the container for linear movement therealong, said means having an inturned portion adapted to cooperate with a rolled edge on the lower part of the container for limiting downward movement of a wall of said expansible chamber for establishing initial volume of said chamber.

4. A dispensing device comprising a container for material to be dispensed including an expansible chamber arranged exteriorly of said container, a discharge conduit leading from said chamber, valve means controlling flow from said container to said chamber and from said chamber through, said conduit, and a base telescopically receiving and supporting said container and chamber and having a portion adjacent the expansible chamber operable upon having the container forced downward relative to the base to depress said chamber to expel material therefrom through said conduit, said base having a circumferentially disposed portion adapted to cooperate with a circumferentially disposed portion on the container thereby defining stop means to limit relative linear movement of said container on said base to control initial volume in said chamber, said stop means further rendering the base inseparable from the container.

5. A dispensing device comprising: a first chamber having walls, a second chamber arranged exteriorly of the first chamber and having a movable wall, a discharge conduit leading from the second chamber to a dispensing nozzle, valve means for controlling flow from the first chamber to the second chamber, base means slidably mounted on a wall of the first chamber and surrounding the second chamber thereby defining a third chamber, said base means having a portion operatively disposed adjacent the movable wall of the second chamber whereby relative sliding movement of the means operates the movable wall to expel material from the second chamber; through the discharge nozzle, said base 5 6 means having a circumferentially disposed portion co- References Cited in the file of this patent operating with a circumferentially disposed portion on UN D STA PATENTS the first chamber thereby establishing stop means to 2 2 9 Higgins Aug 4 333 limit initial volume in said second Chamber, said stop 1,234,039 Reinhardt July 17, 1917 means further rendering the base inseparable from the 5 1,553,245 Jaden Sept. 8, 1925 first chamber. 1,761,462 Ball June 3, 1930 

1. A DISPENSING DEVICE COMPRISING A CONTAINER HAVING A ROLLED EDGE ABOUT ITS LOWER PORTION, AN EXPANSIBLE CHAMBER ARRANGED EXTERIORLY OF THE BOTTOM OF SAID CONTAINER, A DISCHARGE CONDUIT LEADING FROM SAID CHAMBER, VALVE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING FLOW FROM SAID CONTAINER TO SAID CHAMBER AND FROM SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID CONDUIT, SAID CHAMBER INCLUDING MOVABLE WALL MEANS BIASED DOWNWARDLY TOWARD THE EXPANDED STATE OF SAID CHAMBER AND ADAPTED TO BE PUSHED UPWARDLY FOR REDUCING THE VOLUME OF SAID CHAMBER, A BASE INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING PROJECTION ON WHICH SAID WALL RESTS, SAID BASE HAVING ABOUT ITS PERIPHERY GUIDE MEANS SLIDABLY RECEIVING THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER, THE OUTER END OF SAID GUIDE MEANS BEING FLANGED INWARDLY TO ENGAGE SAID ROLLED EDGE OF THE CONTAINER FOR LIMITING DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID WALL FOR ESTABLISHING INITIAL VOLUME OF SAID CHAMBER, WHEREBY UPON PRESSING OF SAID CONTAINER TOWARD SAID BASE A PREDETERMINED QUANTITY OF 